News & Neuigkeiten » tournament cleared a backlog of ma

PHILADELPHIA -- Adrian Gonzalez is crushing baseballs again and the Los Angeles Dodgers are riding their veteran slugger up the standings.Gonzalez hit two home runs and had five RBI to help the Dodgers extend their lead in the NL West with a 7-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night.Justin Turner also homered and Joc Pederson reached base four times for the first-place Dodgers, who moved 1 1/2 games ahead of the San Francisco Giants, who lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday. On Tuesday, Los Angeles took over sole possession of the division lead for the first time since May 10.I just continue to do the things that are working, said Gonzalez, who had an epidural in early May to deal with back problems. When you feel good physically and you can take the right path, you just keep doing the things that are working -- good base, be on your back side and then let your hands work.With the Dodgers trailing 1-0 in the fourth, Gonzalez lined a 3-1 fastball into the seats in right-center field for a three-run homer. Turner singled and Josh Reddick walked to lead off the inning.Gonzalez followed that with a two-run homer in the seventh after Corey Seager led off the inning with a double.It was the 34-year-old first basemans first multi-homer game of the season and the 20th of his career. Gonzalez, who has 12 homers, extended his hitting streak to 10 games and is 18 for 40 in that span.With Adrian, I know his preparation, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. I know he always has the ability to drive in a run. I think early on, he was a victim of trying to out-think things as far as beating the shift. There was a point about five weeks ago when he decided to get the head to the ball and pull the baseball in the air a little bit more.Turner hit his 22nd home run after Seager singled in the fifth, pushing the Dodgers ahead 5-1.Scott Kazmir (10-6) allowed eight hits and two earned runs in five-plus innings to pick up his first win in four starts and improve his road record to 6-0. He escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fifth and reliever Grant Dayton got out of another bases-loaded jam in the sixth after Kazmir allowed a leadoff homer to Tommy Joseph followed by three straight singles.Kazmir admitted he didnt feel very good throughout his start but was pleased to see the lineup have his back.Finally I feel like the offense is catching up to the pitching staff, Turner said. It makes it fun to play when everybodys having good at-bats.Making the third start of his career, Jake Thompson (1-2) surrendered just one hit through the first three innings before allowing five runs, four hits and three walks over the next two to get chased after five.I think I was a little too fine, falling behind hitters, Thompson said. When youre facing a lineup like those guys have, thats not a very good place to be.UTLEYS BIG WELCOME (AGAIN)Chase Utley went 0 for 5 with two strikeouts in his second game back in Philadelphia since the Phillies traded him to the Dodgers last August. In his emotional return a night earlier, the Dodgers second baseman homered twice and received two curtain calls from the adoring Philly fans. Utley, a six-time All-Star who helped the Phillies win five straight NL East titles and the 2008 World Series, was greeted to another long standing ovation leading off Wednesdays game.DOING IT WITH HIS GLOVE, TOOGonzalez made a diving catch to snag a line drive by Odubel Herrera in the first, before falling right on first base to complete a double play.LOVING THE CITY OF BROTHERLY LOVEThe Dodgers are 12-3 in their last 15 games at Citizens Bank Park. They have won five straight series in Philly.TRAINERS ROOMPhillies: RHP Aaron Nola was transferred to the 60-day DL, ending his season. Out since Aug. 3 with a right elbow strain, the 23-year-old was 6-9 with a 4.78 ERA in 20 starts.The Phillies announced Wednesday that Nola was replaced on the 40-man roster by RHP Frank Herrmann, while Elvis Araujo was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Herrmann made his first major league appearance since 2012, pitching a scoreless inning Wednesday.Dodgers: The Dodgers plan to activate LHP Adam Liberatore (2-0, 1.62) on Friday. The reliever made his second rehab appearance Tuesday night, striking out two in a scoreless inning for Triple-A Oklahoma City.UP NEXTThe Phillies and Dodgers conclude their three-game series Thursday night with Philadelphia RHP Jerad Eickhoff (8-12, 3.82) opposing RHP Ross Stripling (3-4, 4.07). Hydro Flask Lahev . The Vikings announced Thursday that Priefer will be one of seven holdovers from the previous staff, along with offensive line coach Jeff Davidson, wide receivers coach George Stewart and others. Norv Turner will mark his 30th year of coaching in the NFL as the offensive co-ordinator, as widely reported for weeks, and George Edwards will be the defensive co-ordinator. Hydro Flask Cz . Cote was eligible to become a free agent Feb. 15. Cote helped running back Jon Cornish run for a league-high 1,813 rushing yards en route to being named the leagues most outstanding player. http://www.hydroflasklahev.cz/ . Jay Feely kicked a 41-yard field goal in overtime, and the Cardinals edged the Tennessee Titans 37-34 in overtime after blowing a 17-point lead late in the fourth quarter. Hydro Flask Heureka . Those lessons were more than enough to overwhelm the Utah Jazz. Lou Williams scored 25 points and the Hawks continued their offensive upswing as they rolled to an easy 118-85 victory over the Jazz on Friday night, winning their third straight and for the fourth time in five games. Hydro Flask Lilac . Their 38th instalment is arguably their biggest fight card to date, including three-title fights and a main event which was selected by the fans. The promotion boasts 14-straight years of business and is operated by MFC president Mark Pavelich, who is often overlooked in this country for the foundation hes established for MMA in Canada. LONDON -- Facing yet another critical point during a match he never controlled, Novak Djokovic stretched for a half-volley drop winner, held up his right index finger -- reminding the world, Im No. 1! -- then threw an uppercut and bellowed.Perhaps this was the moment everyone kept expecting as he tried to dig himself out of a daunting deficit against 41st-ranked Sam Querrey in the third round at Wimbledon. Perhaps this was a sign that Djokovic was rediscovering the consistency, efficiency and excellence he maintained for more than a year on tenniss most important stages.To wit: Djokovic had won 30 consecutive Grand Slam matches, carrying him to four consecutive Grand Slam titles, the longest such run by a man in nearly a half-century. He didnt just appear to be unbeatable at the majors. He was.No longer. His magical streaks are gone, including two successive titles at the All England Club and 28 Grand Slam quarterfinal appearances in a row, all brought to a sudden, stunning end by a player who has never participated in a major quarterfinal. With 31 aces against as good a returner as there is, Querrey did what no one else could for so long, beating Djokovic 7-6 (6), 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (5) in a match interrupted Saturday by three rain delays after being suspended in progress because of showers a night earlier.He just overpowered me, was Djokovics simple assessment.Djokovic was stopped halfway to the first calendar-year Grand Slam by a man since Rod Lavers in 1969.I believe in positive things in life, and I managed to win four Grand Slams in a row -- two different seasons, though. I want to try to focus on that, Djokovic said, rather than failure.His last loss at any major came against Stan Wawrinka in the French Open final in June 2015. Since then, Djokovic won Wimbledon last July, the U.S. Open in September, the Australian Open in January and the French Open last month, raising his Slam total to 12.Late in Djokovics second-round victory Wednesday, he slipped and fell to his back, but he appeared to be OK at the time. Against Querrey, he rarely seemed to be himself, and afterward, was asked whether he was 100 percent healthy.Not really, Djokovic replied, but its not the place and time to talk about it.Only Laver, in 1962 and 1969, and Don Budge, in 1938, won all four major championships in one year.That was sort of quite a surprise, seeing Novak getting knocked out. I thought he was going to get the title, Laver said in a telephone interview. I dont know whether it was the pressure or whether he wasnt feeling up to full power. ... It didnt look like he was ready to play a big match.Things certainly looked bleak for Djokovic when he dropped the first two sets Friday agaainst Querrey, the first American in 14 years to beat a man ranked No.dddddddddddd 1 at a major.Im not going to lie and say going into it I thought I was going to win, Querrey acknowledged afterward.Djokovic woke up Saturday -- if hed been able to sleep at all -- knowing he needed to win three straight sets to extend his Grand Slam bid.Hes on his way to possibly being the best ever, Querrey said, and so you know hes mentally tough, and he was going to come back.Djokovic did. Sort of. He took the third set, then went up a break in the fourth at 5-4 by pounding a forehand winner that brought coach Boris Becker to his feet. But serving to even the match at two sets apiece, Djokovic faltered.That game included two calls against Djokovic which, according to the BBC broadcast, were incorrect -- but he was out of challenges and couldnt ask for a review. Querrey, 0 for 6 on break points in the set until then, converted No. 7 when Djokovics poor forehand volley found the net for 5-all.In the closing tiebreaker, Djokovic led 3-1, but Querrey hung in there, and a stray forehand by the big favorite sailed wide to end it.Probably not the best hes ever played, said Querrey, who plays Frances Nicolas Mahut next, but not the worst hes ever played.Until now, the 28-year-old Californian was best known for unusual off-court episodes. In Thailand for a 2009 tournament, he cut two muscles in his right arm when he sat on a glass table that shattered. Last year, he appeared on the reality TV show The Millionaire Matchmaker. Theres a popular Vine on social media of Querrey -- sunglasses and hat on, shirt unbuttoned -- dancing with friends wearing horse-head masks.Thats just Sam, said No. 9 Madison Keys, who reached the fourth round Saturday.Now Querry has a signature victory, fueled largely by a serve Djokovic called brutal.The drenched tournament cleared a backlog of matches and finally closed the second round Saturday, when two-time champion Petra Kvitova lost to Ekaterina Makarova 7-5, 7-6 (5). Among the men into the fourth round: No. 2 Andy Murray and Querreys fellow American and doubles partner Steve Johnson.Nothing resonated, of course, like Djokovics defeat.In the Open era, which dates to 1968, hes the second No. 1-seeded man to lose in Wimbledons third round: Coincidence or not, the other was Jim Courier in 1992, when he was halfway to a true Grand Slam.Asked how much the pursuit of history was a burden, Djokovic said: I dont think it played (that) big of a factor, to be honest.---Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich ' ' '